Grab bucket for mounting on a mechanical excavator or loader

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a grab bucket for mounting on a mechanical excavator or loader and comprising two shell parts pivoted so as to permit the grab bucket to be opened or closed, the invention consisting in providing the bottom attacking edges of said shell parts respectively with a pointed portion and a complementary cutaway portion so that in the closed position of the grab bucket the pointed portion of one shell part interengages in the cutaway portion of the other shell part to completely close the bottom of the grab bucket.

United States Patent Inventor Jean Pierre Bellart Senlis, France Appl. No. 815,591 Filed Apr. 14, 1969 Patented Apr. 13, 1971 Assignee Societe Anonyme Poclain Le Plessis-Belleville, Oise, France Priority Apr. 18, 1968 France 148,523

GRAB BUCKET FOR MOUNTING ON A MECHANICAL EXCAVATOR OR LOADER 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 294/70, 37/186 Int. Cl B66c 3/02 Field of Search 294/16, 19,

69, 70, 106, (GE);2l4/656, 657; 37/182, 183, 184, 185,186, 187, 188

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 925,262 6/1909 Allen 37/188 FOREIGN PATENTS 391,984 9/1908 France 37/187 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-George F. Abraham Attorney-Mason, Fenwick & Lawrence ABSTRACT: The invention relates to a grab bucket for mounting on a mechanical excavator or loader and comprising two shell parts pivoted so as to permit the grab bucket to be opened or closed, the invention consisting in providing the bottom attacking edges of said shell parts respectively with a pointed portion and a complementary cutaway portion so that in the closed position of the grab bucket the pointed portion of one shell part interengages in the cutaway portion of the other shell part to completely close the bottom of the grab bucket.

PATENTEDJAPR 1 31am 3574.384

' Inventor Tenn-Penna BELLART A ttorneyg GRAB BUCKET FOR MOUNTING ON A MECHANICAL EXCAVATOR OR LOADER This invention relates to a grab or grab bucket for attachment to the jib or operating am of a mechanical loader, or like earthworking machine, and is of the kind comprising two grab or shell parts pivotally mounted so as to be movable towards or away from each other to close or open the grab or grab bucket.

In the known constructions of grab buckets the attacking edges of the shell parts, that is those edges which penetrate into the earth or other material to be removed, are normally in the form of straight blades.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of grab or grab bucket in which the ability of the attacking edges of the shell parts to penetrate the earth or other material to be removed is greater than is the case with the straight blade type of attacking edge.

With this object in view the grab or grab bucket according to the present invention comprises two shell parts pivotally mounted so as to be movable into a closed or open position, wherein the bottom attacking edges of the two shell parts are respectively provided with pointed and cutaway portions and the corresponding sidewall portions of said shell parts are provided with interengaging curved edges, the arrangement being such that the pointed and cutaway portions of the attacking edges of said shell parts and the curved edges of the sidewalls of said two shell parts interengage in the closed position of the two shell parts to form a completely closed grab bucket.

According to another aspect of the invention the grab or grab bucket comprises two shell parts pivotally mounted so as to be movable into a closed or open position, wherein the bottom attacking edge of one of said shell parts has at least one pointed portion and the bottom attacking edge of the other of said shell parts has at least one cutaway portion corresponding in shape and dimensions to the pointed portion of said one shell part, and wherein the edges of the sidewalls of said one shell part each have a convex curvature and the edges of the sidewalls of said other shell portion each have a concave curvature complimentary to said convex portions of the sidewalls of said one shell part.

ln order that the invention may be more clearly understood one particular embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a grab or grab bucket in the closed position; and

HO. 2 is a similar view of the grab or grab bucket in partly opened positions.

Referring to these drawings the grab or grab bucket comprises two shell parts 1 and 2 pivotally mounted on plates at the ends of a crossbeam 3. The pivotal movement of said shell parts 1 and 2 is effected and controlled in known manner by rams through pivoted arms 8. The shell part 1 and 2 each consists of sidewalls 4,5 and a curved bottom portion 6,7 respectively.

In accordance with the present invention the shell part 2 is provided with an attacking bottom edge in the form of a central pointed or V-shaped portion 10 and the edges a of each of the sidewall 5 which face the shell part 1 have a convex curvature. The attacking edge of the bottom 7 of the shell part 1 is provided with a central V-shaped cutaway portion 9 facing the pointed V-shaped portion of shell part 2, the shape and dimensions of said cutaway portion 9 corresponding substantially to the shape and dimensions of said pointed portion 10 of shell part 2. The central cutaway portion 9 of shell part 1 thus forms two lateral or side pointed portions 9a.

The edges 4a of each of the sidewalls 4 of the shell part 1 which face the shell part 2 have a concave curvature. The curvature of the edges 4a the sidewalls 4 of shell part 1 corresponds to the curvature of the edges 5a of the sidewalls 5 of shell part 2. Thus the edges 4a and 5a are complimentary. Thus it will be seen that the arrangement is such that in the closed position of the grab or l grab bucket (FIG. 1) the attacking edges of the bot om po ions 6 and 7 and the edges 5a and 4a of the sidewalls 5 and 4 of shell parts 2 and 1 respectively interengage in the closed position of the grab or grab bucket causing it to be completely closed.

lt will be understood from the above description that in operation the pointed part 10 of shell part 2 and the pointed parts 9a of shell part 1 penetrate first and simultaneously into the material to be removed, for example a pile of earth or rubble, and by virtue of said pointed parts penetrate into the material more easily, than does a conventional straight bladed edge, with a given size of operating ram. Furthermore the invention eliminate the need for fitting special penetrating teeth tothe attacking edge of the shell parts as is usually necessary with the aforementioned known straight-edged blades.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment herein described and illustrated but may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example the shell part 2 may if necessary be provided with more than one pointed part 10.

I claim:

1. A grab bucket for use with a mechanical loader or similar earth working machines comprising first and second shell parts pivotally mounted so as to be movable between a closed position and an open position with each shell part having sidewalls and a bottom cutting edge extending between said sidewalls, said bottom cutting edge of said first shell part being formed solely of a single elongated tooth having two inwardly tapering continuous edges inclined with respect to each other and extending inwardly symmetrically from edge points adjacent said sidewalls of said first shell for intersection at an apex point spaced a substantial distance forward of said edge points adjacent said sidewalls, said bottom cutting edge of said second shell being formed with a single cutaway portion corresponding in shape and dimensions to said elongated tooth whereby movement of said shell parts from open to closed position enables a continuous wedging action of said tooth through the material being engaged by the tooth.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the forward edges of the sidewalls of said first shell part each have a convex curvature and the forward edges of the sidewalls of said second shell part each have a concave curvature complimentary to said convex portions of the sidewall of said first shell part.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said two inwardly tapering continuous edges are inclined at an acute angle with respect to each other.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the forward edges of the sidewalls of said first shell part each have a convex curvature and the forward edges of the sidewalls of said second shell part each have a concave curvature complimentary to said convex portions of the sidewall of said first shell part. 

1. A grab bucket for use with a mechanical loader or similar earth working machines comprising first and second shell parts pivotally mounted so as to be movable between a closed position and an open position with each shell part having sidewalls and a bottom cutting edge extending between said sidewalls, said bottom cutting edge of said first shell part being formed solely of a single elongated tooth having two inwardly tapering continuous edges inclined with respect to each other and extending inwardly symmetrically from edge points adjacent said sidewalls of said first shell for intersection at an apex point spaced a substantial distance forward of said edge points adjacent said sidewalls, said bottom cutting edge of said second shell being formed with a single cutaway portion corresponding in shape and dimensions to said elongated tooth whereby movement of said shell parts from open to closed position enables a continuous wedging action of said tooth through the material being engaged by the tooth.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the forward edges of the sidewalls of said first shell part each have a convex curvature and the forward edges of the sidewalls of said second shell part each have a concave curvature complimentary to said convex portions of the sidewall of said first shell part.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said two inwardly tapering continuous edges are inclined at an acute angle with respect to each other.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the forward edges of the sidewalls of said first shell part each have a convex curvature and the forward edges of the sidewalls of said second shell part each have a Concave curvature complimentary to said convex portions of the sidewall of said first shell part. 